All of the World’s Oil Reserves by Country, in One Visualization
December 30, 2025
By Bruno Venditti
Graphics/Design:
See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.
Use This Visualization
Ranked: The Countries With the Most Oil ReservesSee visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways- Just five countries control more than half of the world’s proven oil reserves.
- Despite the energy transition, fossil fuels still account for nearly 70% of global energy demand.
Oil remains one of the most strategically important resources in the global economy. It powers transportation systems, underpins industrial activity, and continues to shape geopolitics and trade flows. While renewable energy is growing, oil still plays a dominant role in meeting global energy needs.
This visualization ranks countries by the size of their proven oil reserves at the end of 2024. The data for this graphic comes from OPEC’s Annual Statistical Bulletin 2025. Figures represent proven oil reserves as of year-end 2024 and are measured in billions of barrels. The data includes conventional crude oil as well as oil sands.
Five Countries Dominate Global Oil Reserves
Global oil reserves are highly concentrated.
Venezuela ranks first with an estimated 303 billion barrels of oil reserves. However, turning this vast resource base into economic and geopolitical power has proven difficult, as ongoing U.S. sanctions and the recent seizure of Venezuelan oil shipments under the Trump administration continue to limit the Maduro government’s ability to export crude and fully monetize its reserves.
Saudi Arabia follows the South American country with 267 billion barrels. Iran, Canada, and Iraq round out the top five.
Rank
Country
2024 (Billion Barrels)
|
| 1 | ???? Venezuela | 303 | | 2 | ???? Saudi Arabia | 267 | | 3 | ???? Iran | 209 | | 4 | ???? Canada | 163 | | 5 | ???? Iraq | 145 | | 6 | ???? Kuwait | 102 | | 7 | ???? Russia | 80 | | 8 | ???? Libya | 48 | | 9 | ???? United States | 45 | | 10 | ???? Nigeria | 37 | | 11 | ???? Kazakhstan | 30 | | 12 | ???? China | 28 | | 13 | ???? Qatar | 25 | | 14 | ???? Brazil | 16 |
The Role of OPEC and the Middle East
Many of the world’s largest oil reserves are held by OPEC members, particularly in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates anchor the region’s dominance.
These countries benefit from low extraction costs and large, easily accessible reserves. As a result, Middle Eastern producers are expected to remain critical suppliers even as global demand growth slows.
Oil Sands and Non-OPEC Producers
Canada stands out among non-OPEC countries, ranking fourth globally with 163 billion barrels of reserves. The majority of Canada’s reserves come from oil sands, which are more expensive and carbon-intensive to extract. Russia and the United States also rank among the top 10.
Taken together, the data highlights how unevenly oil resources are distributed and why oil-rich nations continue to have significant economic and geopolitical power. |
